THIEVES have targeted a church in Penistone for the sixth time in three months taking the total cost of the damage to over £100,000.

St John’s Church, Shrewsbury Road, was targeted twice this weekend adding £20,000 to the bill that could now be more than their insurance cover.

Temporary roofing has left the church vulnerable to the weather sending the cost of the damage soaring.

Rev Father David Hopkin said he thought after over a month without an attack they had finally stopped. “It went quiet for a while and we thought we would be left alone. We were going to start repairing the roof properly when it happened again. More than half the lead has been taken now, we just feel helpless to stop it.”

The church is considering fund raising around Penistone to help with the increasing costs. “We want to appeal to the whole community to be vigilant and to help with the cost in any way they can,” Mr Hopkin said.

In the latest attack police believe thieves stole a car from the town centre, ripped the back seats out and dumped them in the church grounds so they could fit more lead into the vehicle.

PC Andy Thompson, from Penistone Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “We can only assume that the stolen car and lead theft this weekend are linked. Our enquiries are ongoing at this time.”